Brian Ortega is famous for being one of the top fighters in the UFC, but he’s also known for his long, luscious hair.
Or at least, he was.
Ortega shaved his hair completely off ahead of weigh-ins for his fight against Chan Sung Jung (a.k.a. The Korean Zombie) this weekend, but don’t despair — it was for a good cause.
Ortega’s manager Tiki Ghosn told ESPN that Ortega would be donating his hair to Locks of Love: a nonprofit that provides wigs to children in the US and Canada who have medical conditions that have caused them to lose their hair.
Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) is donating the hair he shaved ahead of today’s weigh-in to Locks of Love for children undergoing chemotherapy, per his manager Tiki Ghosn ?? pic.twitter.com/rKtBu0B0pf
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 16, 2020
The gesture, while clearly well-intentioned, has been criticized by some people who cite reports that claim up to $6 million of hair donations go unaccounted for each year within the organization. However, Charity Navigator (a charity auditing page) gives Locks of Love a high rating of 90.94 out of 100 based on financial performance metrics, accountability, and transparency.
Ortega is going into this fight with a 14-1 record, with his first and only loss taking place against Max Holloway at the end of 2018, which marked his most recent fight. The Korean Zombie is coming off two consecutive TKO victories and last fought at the end of December last year.
Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie will take place on Saturday, October 17 at UFC Fight Night.
